I liked it.
It only took Ruslan about five minutes to get us a room, and after a long elevator ride, we exited into a hallway that only had one door, and instead of a number the words Executive Suite curled across the front. He opened the door for me, and Willcox followed us. At first I thought he was coming inside, too, but he took up a position outside the room with his back to the door as it closed.
“What happened? Did you talk to the police? Why did you have me leave? I should’ve talked to them, too.” It was like someone had pulled a cork from my mouth and I had to slap my hand over my lips to stop the babble.
Ruslan stared at me and seemed to be thinking about what he wanted to say.
“Sorry,” I mumbled under my palm. I dropped my hand. “You didn’t call the police, did you? My suit was still there.”
He shook his head. “None of your possessions will be lost. It might take a few days, but I’ll have everything returned to me eventually.”
I stared at him, and he seemed dead serious. He pointed at a fancy, spindly legged chair that appeared to be upholstered in silk. I cringed and sank down onto it. He went through a door, and it must’ve been a bathroom because he came out with a washcloth. I was confused until he went down on one knee and picked up my foot. He meticulously cleaned off the dirt, and I was so transfixed by him that it took me a moment to remember I was supposed to be maybe upset? Was I mad? I was absolutely still freaked out. He cleaned the other foot and tossed the washcloth onto a small wooden coffee table behind us. I wanted to say he probably shouldn’t do that, but then I laughed.
Rich men like Ruslan could do anything they wanted. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford to replace water-damaged furniture.
“Why? Why would you have people around to grab my dirty suit out of the apartment?”
He stood and tucked his hands into his pockets. “Not all my business ventures are like Kozlova Menswear. They’re off grid.”
I ran my fingers over the soft arms of the chair. This was nuts. “You mean they’re illegal? I can’t... I can’t....” Ruslan didn’t stop me when I hopped up, crossed the room, and then opened the door to go outside into the little space near the elevator. Willcox tensed like he was going to grab me, and I pointed at him.
“Don’t you freaking dare.”
He scowled. “But if Mr. Kozlova wants you inside, you should go back.”
He took a step toward me, and I pointed at him again. Ruslan opened the door, and although he seemed upset, he chuckled. “Leave him alone, Willcox. Come on. If you don’t want to stay with me tonight, I understand.” He didn’t look happy about it, though. “I’ll get you a room.” He glanced at Willcox, and I understood that someone would probably be parked outside of my new room, too, but I wasn’t about to argue.
Ruslan went to the lobby, and I waited in the hallway awkwardly, not talking to Willcox or looking at him, and in almost no time at all Ruslan came back with another man in a suit I didn’t know and took me up a floor to a room. The elevator opened onto a small area with a chair, a potted plant, and one door. This one had Business Elite Suite scrawled across a plaque on the front. When he let me inside, I gasped. There were wall-to-wall windows providing a breathtaking view of the city. The furniture was wooden and gave everything a nice homey feeling. The bed was made for at least ten people and draped in green blankets that called my name.
“I think this is nicer than the other room.”
Ruslan smiled. “Only the best for you.” He leaned forward, and I didn’t move away as he brushed his warm lips to mine. My insides caught fire and I almost melted through the floor. My face burned as I accepted the key card from him, and then he left. Just like that. No fuss. No dramatics. He’d given me my own space and he was gone.
“Fuck. Fuck on a fuckstick.”
Did all that shit really happen tonight? The room was beyond luxurious, and I went out onto a small balcony only to find a teardrop-shaped hot tub. I stood near the water, staring at the glistening surface while I thought. Did Ruslan really shoot someone tonight? The sky was turning light blue in the east by the time I shook off the odd mood that had taken me over and went back inside.
The bed looked nice, but it was far too big for one person, and my insides were a jangled, tangled mess. No, I didn’t want to be alone.
When I opened my door, the huge guy was still standing out there. What was his name? He was blond and with the way his mouth curved down in exhaustion, it seemed like he needed at least a gallon of coffee. “Do you need something, Mr. Hart?” he asked.
“I’m going to see Ruslan.”
The man hesitated, then nodded, and I wasn’t shocked when he followed me onto the elevator. One floor down, he and Willcox nodded at each other as I knocked on Ruslan’s door.Nothing.I smacked my fist against the door again, and Willcox cleared his throat. I could see him judging me for waking up his boss, but I didn’t care.
The door opened, and I gaped at Ruslan because the man did his boxers justice. His chest was sculpted. His abs were rippled. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.Oh, hello, Daddy.The bandage on his left shoulder had me frowning. He snagged my wrist and dragged me inside. There was a lamp glowing beside the bed and the white fluffy blankets had been tossed aside.
“Are you, like, a drug lord or something?” I blurted the first question that came to mind.
He groaned and ran a hand through his dark hair. “Or something. I’m in charge of a group of men, a brotherhood, if you will.”
“You mean a mafia?”
He stared into my eyes, then nodded.
All the air leaked out of my lungs. “Is it always like tonight?”
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “The shootout tonight was rare, but dangerous. There is always a possibility of violence, however small. I never meant for you to deal with this.”
